What's on TV Monday: 'James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction' and 'Elementary'

James Cameron, left, and Steven Spielberg in “James Cameron’s Story of Science Fiction.”
Michael Moriatis/AMC

James Cameron gathers fellow sci-fi buffs to explore the genre’s history in a new AMC series. And the eccentric Sherlock Holmes of “Elementary” returns for Season 6.

What’s on TV

AMC VISIONARIES: JAMES CAMERON’S STORY OF SCIENCE FICTION 10 p.m. on AMC. More than a century after the first known science-fiction movies were made, filmmakers continue to churn out supernatural stories, and viewers can’t get enough. This six-part documentary series, led by the writer, producer and director James Cameron, traces the genre’s shift from niche to mainstream and explores its themes through interviews with Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and other notable sci-fi fans. It opens with a look at alien-centered movies like “Arrival,” “Avatar” and “E. T.” In an interview with The New York Times, Mr. Cameron shared his motivation to tell otherworldly tales: “The thing that encourages me is that we are actually approaching an existential crisis as human beings about artificial intelligence and the threat of artificial intelligence. The trick is to make these movies while they’re still science fiction.”

VERY SUPERSTITIOUS WITH GEORGE LOPEZ 8 p.m. on A&E. While James Cameron explores the supernatural in entertainment, George Lopez searches for it in everyday lives. The actor draws from his upbringing in a superstitious Mexican household in this new passion project, crisscrossing the United States in search of unusual beliefs and rituals that some communities still hold dear.

Jon Michael Hill and Lucy Liu in “Elementary.”
Jeff Neira/CBS

ELEMENTARY 10 p.m. on CBS. This modern-day take on Sherlock Holmes, played by Jonny Lee Miller, returns for a sixth season. While Sherlock grapples with a potentially crippling medical diagnosis, he meets a man (Desmond Harrington) who claims that Sherlock helped him overcome an addiction. Back at work, Sherlock and his partner Joan (Lucy Liu) search for a heiress’s missing partner.

STICKER SHOCK 10 p.m. on Discovery. Curious car owners present their special rides to a team of experts to find out their value in this new unscripted show.

GOOD GIRLS 10 p.m. on NBC. The pilot of this absurd drama made it clear that the three suburban moms-turned-criminals, portrayed by Christina Hendricks, Mae Whitman and Retta, weren’t going to rob a supermarket one night and return to their normal lives the next. After getting a little too close with Rio (Manny Montana), a gang leader, the ladies realize their lives may be on the line. In this season finale, they scheme to take down Rio while getting their hands on enough money to pay for a kidney transplant for Sara (Lidya Jewett).

What’s Streaming

THE KARATE KID (1984) on iTunes, Amazon, Crackle, Google Play, Hulu, Vudu and YouTube. Revisit this classic underdog tale before the premiere of the revival series “Cobra Kai” on Wednesday. The teenage Daniel (Ralph Macchio) provokes the ire of Johnny (William Zabka), a bullying karate student, when he starts dating his ex-girlfriend (Elisabeth Shue). Tired of being humiliated by Johnny and his karate gang, Daniel seeks help from a martial arts master (Pat Morita) to build self-confidence and confront Johnny in a final fight.